yazi

yazi is a blazing fast terminal file manager written in Rust, using async I/O with a modern TUI interface.

# macOS
brew install yazi

# Arch Linux
pacman -S yazi

# Cargo
cargo install --locked yazi-fm yazi-cli

# From source
git clone https://github.com/sxyazi/yazi.git
cd yazi
cargo build --release

yazi                    # Open in current directory
yazi /path/to/dir      # Open specific directory
yazi file.txt          # Open with file selected

# Preview supports:
- Text files (syntax highlighting)
- Images (kitty/iterm2 protocol)
- Videos (thumbnail)
- PDFs (thumbnail)
- Archives (file list)
- JSON/YAML (formatted)

# Config directory
~/.config/yazi/

# Main config files
~/.config/yazi/yazi.toml      # General settings
~/.config/yazi/keymap.toml    # Keybindings
~/.config/yazi/theme.toml     # Color theme
~/.config/yazi/init.lua       # Lua initialization

[manager]
ratio = [1, 4, 3]           # Miller column ratios
sort_by = "natural"         # Sort method
sort_dir_first = true       # Directories first
linemode = "size"           # Show file size
show_hidden = false         # Hide dotfiles
show_symlink = true         # Show symlink targets

[preview]
max_width = 1000            # Max preview width
max_height = 900            # Max preview height
image_filter = "lanczos3"   # Image scaling
image_quality = 90          # JPEG quality

# keymap.toml
[manager]
keymap = [
  { on = ["<C-n>"], exec = "arrow 5" },      # Move 5 down
  { on = ["<C-p>"], exec = "arrow -5" },     # Move 5 up
  { on = ["e"], exec = "shell '$EDITOR $@' --block" },
  { on = ["<C-g>"], exec = "plugin lazygit" },
]

[tasks]
keymap = [
  { on = ["<Esc>"], exec = "close" },
  { on = ["w"], exec = "close" },
]

# theme.toml
[manager]
cwd = { fg = "cyan", bold = true }

[filetype]
rules = [
  { mime = "image/*", fg = "yellow" },
  { mime = "video/*", fg = "magenta" },
  { mime = "audio/*", fg = "cyan" },
  { name = "*", fg = "white" },
  { name = "*/", fg = "blue", bold = true },
]

-- ~/.config/yazi/init.lua
require("full-border"):setup()
require("git"):setup()

-- Custom plugin
local state = ya.sync(function()
  return cx.active.current.cwd
end)

# Clone plugin to yazi plugins directory
cd ~/.config/yazi
mkdir -p plugins
cd plugins

# Example: git integration
git clone https://github.com/yazi-rs/plugins/git.git

# Example: full border UI
git clone https://github.com/yazi-rs/plugins/full-border.git

# ~/.zshrc or ~/.bashrc
function ya() {
  local tmp="$(mktemp -t "yazi-cwd.XXXXX")"
  yazi "$@" --cwd-file="$tmp"
  if cwd="$(cat -- "$tmp")" && [ -n "$cwd" ] && [ "$cwd" != "$PWD" ]; then
    cd -- "$cwd"
  fi
  rm -f -- "$tmp"
}

# ~/.config/fish/functions/ya.fish
function ya
  set tmp (mktemp -t "yazi-cwd.XXXXX")
  yazi $argv --cwd-file="$tmp"
  if set cwd (cat -- "$tmp"); and [ -n "$cwd" ]; and [ "$cwd" != "$PWD" ]
    cd -- "$cwd"
  end
  rm -f -- "$tmp"
end

# Set default editor for yazi
export EDITOR="nvim"

# Set default pager
export PAGER="less"

# Configure image protocol
export YAZI_IMAGE_PROTOCOL="kitty"  # or "iterm2"

# Execute shell command on selected files
:shell echo $@ --confirm

# Bulk rename with editor
:bulk-rename

# Create symbolic link
:link --relative

# Calculate directory size
:shell du -sh $@ --block

# ~/.config/yazi/yazi.toml
[opener]
edit = [
  { exec = '$EDITOR "$@"', block = true },
]
open = [
  { exec = 'xdg-open "$@"', orphan = true },
]
image = [
  { exec = 'feh "$@"', orphan = true },
]
video = [
  { exec = 'mpv "$@"', orphan = true },
]

# File type associations
[[opener.rules]]
mime = "text/*"
use = "edit"

[[opener.rules]]
mime = "image/*"
use = "image"

[[opener.rules]]
mime = "video/*"
use = "video"

# yazi.toml - configure archive handling
[plugin]
prepend_previewers = [
  { mime = "application/zip", exec = "ouch" },
  { mime = "application/x-tar", exec = "ouch" },
  { mime = "application/x-rar", exec = "ouch" },
]

# Filter by extension
.md$              # All markdown files
^\.               # All hidden files
\.(jpg|png)$      # Images

# Filter by name pattern
^test_.*          # Files starting with test_
.*_backup$        # Files ending with _backup

# Open specific directory
yazi /path/to/dir

# Start with file selected
yazi --entry=/path/to/file

# Clear cache
yazi --clear-cache

# Write CWD on exit
yazi --cwd-file=/tmp/cwd

# Send message to running yazi instance
ya send cd /tmp

# Publish to yazi subscribers
ya publish "custom-event"

# Get current state
ya state

# yazi.toml - optimize for large directories
[manager]
ratio = [1, 3, 2]           # Smaller preview pane
max_preview = 5000          # Limit preview size

[preview]
max_width = 800
max_height = 600
cache_dir = "~/.cache/yazi" # Use cache

# Select multiple files
Space               # Toggle selection
Ctrl+a              # Select all
v                   # Visual mode

# Apply operation to all selected
y                   # Yank all
p                   # Paste all
d                   # Trash all

# Open with fzf selection
fzf | xargs yazi

# Integrate with ripgrep
rg -l "pattern" | xargs yazi

# Use with fd
fd --type f | xargs yazi --entry

Preview not working

# Check image protocol support
echo $YAZI_IMAGE_PROTOCOL

# Install preview dependencies
brew install ffmpegthumbnailer  # Video thumbnails
brew install poppler            # PDF preview
brew install jq                 # JSON preview

Keybinding conflicts

# Disable default keybinding in keymap.toml
[manager]
keymap = [
  { on = ["j"], exec = "" },    # Disable 'j'
  { on = ["<C-j>"], exec = "arrow 1" },  # Remap
]

• D permanently deletes (bypasses trash) ⚠️
• Large directories may slow preview generation
• Image preview requires kitty/iterm2/sixel protocol
• Some plugins require Lua 5.4+
• Custom openers may block the UI (use orphan = true)

# yazi uses relative paths by default
# Use Ctrl+y for absolute paths
# Use Alt+y for relative paths

# When scripting, prefer absolute paths
cd "$(yazi --cwd-file=/tmp/yazi_cwd)"